The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-07-22
}rHr--f1sI ; III,s : fT-I-.--'I- :
WOOL RULINGS.
The Treasury Departments Shabby Trea
100 mont Of American Wool Dealers,

Ahe AEeahury Dophrtmenps Shnbby Treat
mont Of American Wool Dealers.
New York Tribune, q !. 4, h y (, w K (:
Secretary Fsirchild has perplexed some
Of his ardent political supporters by up.
parently inexpllcabls dlscoartesy to those
engaged In an important industry. Some
time ago, q carefully prepared paper ask.
ing his reconsideration Of rulings in re.
gard to wool tops and worsted coatings
and suitings was submitted to the Score.
tary by President Whitman, OF tho
National Association OF Wooden Manu-.
facturers. II contained courteouu and
very. able argument.o the legal question:
involved, with letters signed by a great
number oil manufacturers and wool.
growers, including representatives OF sew.
eral important organizations. 1t waa sup.
pooed and indeed reported from Washing.
ton, that the Treasury would reopen the
question, bnt to the surprise Of many no
attention has yet been paid to the
memorial, which expressly urged the Sec.
Rotary, II he could not change his rulings,
at least to render a definite decision on
which adjudication could be sought In the
courts. Even ON The lowest conaidera.
tons Of political expediency, 1t might be
supposed that the Secretary would hardly
refuse prompt attention to q document 10
weighty In argument and In signatures,
and on a subject OF such vital Importance
to vast number OF farmers and manu-.
iacturers at this season Of the year. NJ
The wool growers and manufacturers
have good reason for feeling strongly on
this matter. That 1t Is not question
between free trade and protection that Is
involved will DO understood from two sen.
fences Of the strong letter Of Mr.. Edward
Atkinaon, the free trade economist, who
heartily indorses the argument OF Mr..
Whitman, saying: ~ am very glad to aid
you, II can, in promoting m adjustment
OF the duties which should be collected
according TO the manifest intent Of the
law, and nc bslieye adtusting the duties
to be collected in the only manner consis-
tent with the true purport OF tho law II
atrictly construed. I do not believe in
making reduction OF the customs reye.
nue. by any indirection, OF by any misin.
depreciation OF the intentions Of the fran.
ers Of tho act" That Is the Issue, yheth.
er the law as 1t stands has been wrongly
interpreted, greatly to tho harm OF Amei-
icsn industry, and the argument on that
point ia 80 clear and exhaustive that 1t
might be imagined that the Secretary,
though unable to find colorado pretext
on which to auataiu his ruling, is unwill.
ing to admit Tia error. But that would not
be craditsble position for an administra-
tiYe ollcer.
The argument shows that wool tops are
produced from wool by process OF inanu-
lactuse in which great number OF estab.
lishments are engaged with costly ma.
chinery, and thst the actual shrinkape
from the wool In the bale to the wool In
the top is 623 per cent, while the shrink
sgs between the wool in the TOP and the
yarn is only 81 per cent. Yet the secre-
tory rules that the tops are dutiable as
secured wool, and not as manufactured.
The position 10 met by citations OF many
decisiona Of United States courts, through
which runs the controlling principle that
an article. comes fairly within the term
manufacture" used in the tariff, not
merely when finally fitted for use, but
when 1t has gone through one or more OF
g succession 81 processes necessary to
bring it from ita raw state to one adapted
for final use. 5,s, ssyz
Tbs fact that gors,ed cuttings and coat.
ings are not recognized as part OF worsted,
but Of WOODEN manufacture. Is established
by citation OF many official and historical
documents including the official report OF
the judges Of wool at the Centennial Ex-
position and the Paris Exposition. The
legal argument quotes with effect great
number oil decisions bearing upon the pro-
per construction Of the low. Practically,
the question ia whether the plain intent
Of laws passed by Congress for tho benefit
ofintnsiries in this country shall BIO de.
fcateu by Secretary because he does not
agree with the purport OF those laws. Az
Mr.. Atkinson urges. the laws ought to be
honestly and faithfully construed, whether
the Secretary thinks them good o. bad.
That 10 the only upright courae, and the
only course by which the workings OF the
exiating Law can be fairly tested, 80 that
the people may decide whether they want
it or not. &+. ~